Armenian authorities have been criticized by hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), who demand an end to the "campaign against the Church" and a call for restraint against eight clergy who have violated discipline. This statement was made following a meeting of bishops in Austria, where 25 bishops expressed their allegiance to Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, condemning the practice of ignoring his name during services.

The hierarchs reiterated the AAC's long-standing commitment to Armenian statehood, assuring that the Church has never served and will never serve external powers, but only its own people. Furthermore, calls were made for an immediate end to "anti-church repression," the release of arrested clergy and their supporters, and the involvement of the international community and other Christian churches in the liberation of Armenian captives in Baku.

It should be noted that criminal proceedings were recently instituted in Armenia against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, accompanied by a travel ban. The case was initiated on charges of obstructing the execution of a judicial decision.

This conflict is related to Arman Saroyan, former Bishop of the Masiatsotn Diocese. Garegin II removed Saroyan from his post and defrocked him on January 10, but he is challenging the decision in court. The court proceedings currently prohibit any interference with Saroyan's duties as head of the diocese until a final verdict is rendered.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and ten clergy signed a joint statement on reforming the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), which calls for the removal of the current Catholicos and the public announcement of a reform program. At the same time, Armenian leaders have repeatedly expressed concerns about the Church's senior clergy's ties to Russia.